The new iPhones were announced on Tuesday, and several updates stood out—especially design changes that make room for larger batteries.
What’s New in the iPhone 17 Lineup
The new iPhones were announced this Tuesday. Some very interesting updates were made to the phones that stood out to me. Most notably the decision to move most of the components to a cluster at the top of the phones to make space for larger batteries. The iPhone 17 pro and pro Max are expected to have an added 10% of battery life compared to the iPhone 16 pro models. One technology that has enabled this was the addition of the vapor chamber that transfers heat from the processors to the rest of the aluminum body of the phone. Aluminum being a better conductor of heat has replaced the titanium body of the previous models.
The standard iPhone 17 has taken a lot of the pro features from the iPhone 16 pro, including the Super Retina XDR display which gives it a smooth refresh rate. The addition of the center stage selfie camera with square sensors is also a welcome upgrade.
One enabling technology is a vapor chamber that helps transfer heat from the processors across the aluminum body. Aluminum—being a better conductor of heat—replaces the titanium body used previously on the Pro models.
iPhone Air
The iPhone Air feels truly different with its ultra-slim titanium body. It gives Nokia 8800 for anyone old enough to remember the luxury premium vibe that phone had. It’s an interesting move given the memories of “Bendgate” from the iPhone 6 era. Ideally, titanium’s strength at such a thin profile will prevent a repeat of that issue—something Apple has surely tested extensively. But only time (and JerryRigEverything) will tell.
Compatibility: Pocket Tripod PROv2
With the significant profile changes this year, a natural question is compatibility. Here’s how the new iPhones pair with the Pocket Tripod PROv2 and the Universal Kit.
Apple iPhone 17 & Geometrical Pocket Tripod PROv2
This is the one phone that kept a profile identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 16. At 7.95 mm thick, the 8.0 mm Adapters work perfectly with the bare phone, and almost any case thicker than that is supported with the included adapters in the Universal Kit.
Apple iPhone 17 Air & Geometrical Pocket Tripod PROv2
At only 5.64 mm thick, the bare phone is about 2.5 mm thinner than the smallest size included in the current Universal Kit. We created Adapters as small as 5.5 mm for the Pocket Tripod back in 2018, but as phones trended thicker (post-Bendgate), we stopped producing them.
With the new wave of slim phones—including the iPhone 17 Air, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, and Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold—it’s time to bring those sizes back. We’ll release a special Universal Kit focused on smaller Adapter sizes for these slim phones and their cases. This slim-phone Universal Kit is expected to be available in November 2025.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro & Geometrical Pocket Tripod PROv2
The bare phone is compatible with the current Pocket Tripod PROv2 right out of the box using the included 9.0 mm Adapters in the Universal Kit. At 8.75 mm thick, there’s about 0.25 mm (≈0.01 in) of play without a screen protector or case.
Most people use protective cases, and whatever the size, the Universal Kit includes a set of Adapters for compatibility. In the rare instance someone wants a truly snug fit on a bare iPhone 17 Pro (no case or screen protector), we have 8.5 mm Adapters in stock and will send them free under our Right Size Guarantee.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max & Geometrical Pocket Tripod PROv2
This phone has identical compatibility characteristics to the iPhone 17 Pro, and the same considerations apply. One thing both the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max share is a camera cluster bump that spans edge-to-edge across the phone’s width.
That’s usually not an issue, but be mindful of it when using the phone horizontally. If the Pocket Tripod is clamped at the center, it works fine—as with any phone.
If you split the legs for a wider footprint, the camera bump and the volume buttons limit how close to the top edge you can place one half of the Pocket Tripod. You’ll still benefit from the extra stability, but it won’t be one half at each corner (which, in most situations, is overkill anyway). In portrait orientation, clamping the Pocket Tripod PROv2 on the bottom edge isn’t affected by the camera bump.
Summary
Overall, the launch of new phones is always exciting—especially with year-over-year camera improvements. Here’s the quick compatibility breakdown with the Pocket Tripod PROv2 Universal Kit:
- iPhone 17: Current Universal Kit is compatible.
- iPhone 17 Air: A slim-phone Universal Kit is coming in November 2025. The current Universal Kit will work if you use a case or don’t mind a bit of wiggle room with the bare phone.
- iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max: Current Universal Kit is compatible. 8.5 mm Adapters are available now for a snug bare-phone fit; all common case sizes are supported with the included adapters. When using landscape with split legs for a wide footprint, be mindful of the volume buttons.
